Upsets and Insane Action at the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro Today

MARGARET RIVER, WA/Australia (Friday, March 22, 2013) - The field of 18 women has been reduced to just four and the men’s field of 96 is down to a mere 24 as things start to get serious in the surf in South West WA. The swell dropped at Surfer’s Point Margaret River today, but there was still plenty of punchy sections with surf in the 4-foot-range (1.5 meters). Event officials made the call to run the Women’s Quarterfinals, followed by the Men’s Round of 48, and non-elimination Round of 24.

2011 ASP Women’s World Champion Carissa Moore (HAW) through to the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro Semifinals. Pic ASP/Robertson

Stop No. 2 of 8 on the ASP Women’s World Championship Tour, the 2013 Drug Aware Margaret River Pro has just four Semifinalists remaining, coincidentally the same four Semifinalists from the season opening event on the Gold Coast.

The Drug Aware Margaret River Pro is also the first men’s ASP PRIME rated event for the 2013 season, offering maximum points towards 2014 ASP World Championship Tour qualification campaigns.

Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), reigning 5-time ASP Women’s World Champion today advanced into the Semifinals over former two-time Drug Aware Margaret River Pro champion and form surfer of this year’s event Courtney Conlogue (USA). Both Gilmore and Conlogue struggled in today’s conditions that were dramatically different from yesterday, but it was Gilmore who was able to find the right waves and link together multiple explosive turns to earn the biggest scores of the heat and advance.

“Courtney (Conlogue) is the hardest one to beat out here,” Gilmore said. “She’s won here before and she just charges in these waves. It was a blessing the conditions changed and I could kind of sneak around and pick the inside ones. I’ve already matched my result from the first event of the year, hopefully I can go one better and make the Final. With four events back-to-back it’s so important to be consistent.”

Jesse Kautz Powers to Victory in New Smyrna Beach

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FL – Stand Up Paddleboard Racing and the weather both shined last weekend attracting more than 80 racers of all ages and abilities to beautiful New Smyrna Beach, Florida.  Racers competed in race two of the Paddleboard New Smyrna Beach Mayor’s River Fest in either a 5 mile long course or a fast 2 mile sprint, with courses taking racers through a protected lagoon, canal system and the Intracoastal Waterway.

Mike Tavares and Jesse Kautz dig deep at the start of the race.

Jesse Kautz put in every last shred of energy to claim the long course overall victory and the 14 foot division by just nudging out Mike Tavares and Andrew White in race two of the Paddleboard New Smyrna Mayor’s River Fest.  The women’s long course 12.6 race was equally impressive with Lisa Cool, Nessa Brunton and Jessica Cichra making it to the podium    

The short course proved to be both fast and exciting with top honors going to overall first place and 12.6’ division winner Jeffery Mueller, 14' division winner Sylvan Mc Elroy and rec division winner Glenn Jenkins.  Top women's short course finishers included overall Women's first place and 12’6 division winner Evey Hammon and rec division winner Naomi Gutnik. 

Mayor Adam Barringer after an impressive finish

A key supporter of the event and active participant in community activities, New Smyrna Beach Mayor Adam Barringer took part in the short course race to the excitement of the crowd with an impressive finish. 

Click here for complete results.

Presented by Paddleboard New Smyrna Beach, the Mayor’s River Fest was made possible through its sponsors, YOLO Board, Paradise Power Sports and SoNapa Grille. 

Race three of the Paddleboard New Smyrna Mayor’s River Fest is scheduled for April 20, 2013, for more information go to their event page

America's Cup Emirates Team New Zealand - Dalton: ‘It’s time to get to San Francisco’

Two days ago Emirates Team New Zealand escaped near catastrophe when the team’s 130-foot tall wing sail clipped the side of a building during a launching exercise. Today team CEO Grant Dalton was breathing a heavy sigh of relief.

“It was windy the other day when we lifted,” Dalton says in a video from the Kiwi team. “We did a bit of damage, but Joey Allen says God’s a Kiwi and maybe he was looking after us because we could’ve gone out there and put it on its lid. It was a good lesson.”

Related story: Emirates Team New Zealand’s wing sail damaged

The team attempted to mount the wing on the AC72 platform in winds that reportedly were gusting into the 20s. The wing suffered damage that temporarily kept the team shoreside yesterday, but it was business as usual today.

“We’ve got the wing in now, normal, up already, and life goes on,” Dalton says. “We haven’t got very long now. We’ve done 50 lifts or so and we’ve got about 10 to go and we’re packing up. We’re almost at the end. Boredom’s coming, you can feel it today. It’s time to get to San Francisco.”

Women’s Quarterfinals, Then Men’s Round of 48 Called On Drug Aware Margaret River Pro

MARGARET RIVER, WA/Australia (Friday, March 22, 2013) - The swell has dropped at Surfer’s Point Margaret River, and is in the 4-foot-range (1.5 meters). Event officials have made the call to run the Women’s Quarterfinals, followed by the Round of 48, and possibly some heats of the Round of 24.

Stop No. 2 of 8 on the ASP Women’s World Championship Tour, the 2013 Drug Aware Margaret River Pro will have just four Semifinalists by day’s end and we will know who the early front runner’s for the 2013 ASP Women’s World Title will be.

The Drug Aware Margaret River Pro is also the first men’s ASP PRIME rated event for the 2013 season, offering maximum points towards 2014 ASP World Championship Tour qualification campaigns.

“The surf isn’t as big or clean as yesterday, but there’s still plenty of waves,” said ASP Australasia General Manager Dane Jordan. “The surf is still looking solid tomorrow, and good for Sunday, so our job today is to run as many heats as possible to give ourselves the best chance of finishing in good waves.”

Event info, photos, videos and more – www.margaretriverpro.com

UPCOMING WOMEN’S QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS:
QF 1: Courtney Conlogue (USA) vs. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
QF 2: Coco Ho (HAW) vs. Carissa Moore (HAW)
QF 3: Alana Blanchard (HAW) vs. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
QF 4: Tyler Wright (AUS) vs. Paige Hareb (NZL)

Over 1500 applicants for Onboard Reporter slots - Volvo Ocean Race

The search for Onboard Reporters for the Volvo Ocean Race has been given a resounding response, with over 1,500 applications received in under 10 weeks. Here, project manager Rick Deppe gives an update on the process - and shares some advice.

How is the Onboard Reporter search progressing?
We’ve been stunned by the response. We've had around 1,500 applications already and it’s an incredibly diverse set of people sending in their cvs.

The levels of skill and experience from many of the candidates are off the charts and and the whole process is proving to be a fantastic window on the passion people have for the Volvo Ocean Race and how much they want to be involved.

Man vs Gravity, One for the Ages - Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2013

85kph, aesthetic, gravity-defying freefall – cliff diving is the purest extreme sport on earth and has many centuries of tradition but has never been as youthful as it will be in 2013. The average age of 27.9 years is the youngest to date and it promises to be another year of rapid evolution of one of the most breathtaking of all sports. In its fifth season, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series will hit new waters and determine a new champion during eight challenging competitions across Europe, Asia and North and South America.

Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2012 Azores - Orlando Duque

Between May and October ten of the world’s best cliff divers, from seven different countries, and up to four wildcard divers per stop will launch from 27 metres with no protection besides concentration, skill and physical control.

As the pinnacle of cliff diving competition, the 2013 World Series once again highlights the sport’s top athletes. After the most exciting season to date in 2012, in which the brilliant Brit, Gary Hunt, took a hat-trick of wins in the very last dive, beating comeback star Orlando Duque (COL) and American qualifier Steven LoBue, three rookies will spice up the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in its fifth season. Rising star and youngest athlete, Jonathan Paredes (23), from Mexico, claimed his spot impressively in his second qualification attempt after 2012 with the highest overall score, Anatoliy Shabotenko, the impressive Ukrainian, made a big impact as a wildcard in 2012, as did newcomer Matt Cowen from Leeds, England.

The field of ten set divers consists of the top five from 2012 and the top five from the qualification competition in Australia earlier this year, and come from seven different countries with an age-range of between 23 and 38 years. The permanent participants will be added to with up to four wildcard divers per event who will be awarded points which will count towards the overall rankings and will therefore have a say in the final results.

Swell Arrives, Performance Levels Rise at the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro

MARGARET RIVER, WA/Australia (Thursday, March 21, 2013) - After three long lay-days the highly anticipated swell arrived at Surfer’s Point Margaret River, and produced excellent surf in the 6-to-8-foot-range (2-2.5 meter) all day. The maxing swell was matched by a mammoth day of surfing with the Women’s Round 3, Round 4 and the Men’s Round 96 all completed with dozens of standout performances and exciting heats.

Taj Burrow (AUS) and Lincoln Taylor (AUS) getting tangled up and both surfers pay the price with a double interference. PIC ASP/Robertson.

Stop No. 2 of 8 on the ASP Women’s World Championship Tour, the 2013 Drug Aware Margaret River Pro ran through two rounds of competition and culled the field that started with 18 surfers, to just eight Quarterfinalists.

The Drug Aware Margaret River Pro is also the first men’s ASP PRIME rated event for the 2013 season, offering maximum points towards 2014 ASP World Championship Tour qualification campaigns.